Paul beitvich



(Mariel.)

P. B RITVIGH.

AR'GHED BRIDGE. No. 371,029.' Patented Oct. 4,1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

I PAUL BRITVICH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ARCHED BRIDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,029, dated October 4, 1837 Application tiled July 2T, 1887. Serial No. 245,445. (Model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PAUL BRITVICH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Arched Bridges, of which the following isa specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide an arched bridge made of stone, brickwork, or other small material, in which the arch-work is of such shape or form that the component `parts or voussoirs are sustained by mutual opposition in a more perfect manner than heretofore, the thrust of the crown being transferred from one part to another until it .reaches the abutments.

The invention consists in an arched bridge which is made of brick or masonry work laid and cemented together in such a manner that the whole structure is converted into a solid body, which retains its form through the inherent powers of resistance of the cementing materials and the interlocked or break-joint arrangement of the bricks or other small material. The shape of the arch is such that the ilanks or haunches will risegentlyin a straight line to the crown from either abutment, thus providing a roadway on the masonry-work of the arch itself and dispensing with the spandrels or filling required on curved, elliptical, or triangular arches.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an arched bridge made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section.

- The reference-numerals l and 2designate the imposts or abutme'nts for supporting the bridge structure. The latter consists of an arch of a special forni,which may be made of stone,brick, or other appropriate small material used in the construction of arched bridges.` In the present instance I have shown an arch of masonry or stone work which is made of bricks or stones laid in four parallel courses or rings in such a manner that the bricks or stones will break joint with each other.- A strong cement is used to bind the bricks or stones together, and hence it follows that the cohesion of the cement employed will convert the whole .structure into asolid body,which retains its form through the inherent powers of resistance of the ce= nienting materials and the relative positions or arrangement of the bricks or stones. A structuremade and cemented together as described will stand as much pressure as if it were cut out of solid material.

Referring to the drawings,it will be seen that the finished arch will have haunches or Hanks 3, extending obliquely from the springers 4 and abutnlents 1 and 2 to the crown or center course, 5, of the arch; also the extrados 6 and intrados 7of the arch, instead offollowing a curved line toward the crown, are made straight or rise in straight lines from the abutments, as is clearly shown in the drawings. of the arch I obtain on the extrados or back of the arch a roadway ascending in a straight line from one abutment to the crown and descend* ing from the latter in a straight line to the other abutment. The size, span, and rise of the arch is proportioned to suit the requirements ofthe bridge, whether for foot-passenger, wagon, or railway travel.

An arched bridge constructed according to my invention can be constructed of straight bricks or stones, requiring no trimming, can

By such constructionh also be cheaply and easily erected, and since it has a back rising gently or gradually in straight lines from the springers to the crown it is obvious that the back of said arch will itself constitute a perfect road-bed.

It should be understood that a housing or railing may, when required, be applied to the 'a1-ch, and the declivity or slope ofthe roadway '-lnay, if desired, be changed by earth-work or otherwise. As has already been stated, however, the gentlyrising surface of the back of the arch constitutes itself a roadway.

I am aware that it has been suggested to make an arch of a Vshape, so 4as to admit a straight line being drawn through some point of every voussoir on each side of the keystone. Such an arch, however, is not adapted to have its back used directly as a roadway; furthermore, the bricks or stones used in its constructionsupport each other solely by mutual pressure and are not cemented together into a solid body in the manner proposed by me.

I am also aware that of late years bridges have been executed of small materials laid in a straight line and cemented together, so as to convert the whole mass into a solid body. A bridge of such construction, called the Pont ICC aux Doubles77 exists at Paris, France. My gether and interlocked, as herein set forth, and

bridge differs from the same in regard to shape having flanks sloping gently in straight lines or form, and, as already stated by me, I attain from the abutments to the center or crown,

by the special form and construction of my and having a dat back serving as a roadway, 15 5 bridge advantages not Vpossessed by any other for the object herein set forth.

form or mode of construction. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in Having thus described my invention, what ,presence of two witnesses. I claim is P. BRI'IVIGH.

A bridge comprising suitable abutments W'itnesses: 1o and an arched structure formed of parallel Jos. L. COOMBs,

courses of bricks or stones solidly cemented to- J. A. RUTHERFORD. 

